of or pertaining to a governmental or political system, principle, or practice in which individual freedom is held as completely subordinate to the power or authority of the state, centered either in one person or a small group that is not constitutionally accountable to the people.

balance of power

a distribution and opposition of forces among nations such that no single nation is strong enough to assert its will or dominate all the others.

balance of trade

the difference between the values of exports and imports of a country, said to be favorable or unfavorable as exports are greater or less than imports.

barbarian

a person without culture, refinement, or education; non-Greek, non-Roman, non-Christian, depending on the time in history

bureaucracy

government by many bureaus, administrators, and petty officials.

border (national)

the line that separates one country, state, province, etc., from another; frontier line

bourgeoisie

(in Marxist theory) the class that, in contrast to the proletariat or wage-earning class, is primarily concerned with property values; the middle class

capital

the wealth, whether in money or property, owned or employed in business by an individual, firm, corporation,etc.

capitalism

an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, especially as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.

capitol

a building occupied by a state legislature. The building in Washington, DC used by Congress.

capitulate

to surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms.

cartel

an international syndicate, combine, or trust formedespecially to regulate prices and output in some field ofbusiness.

casualty

a member of the armed forces lost to service through death, wounds, sickness, capture, or because his or her whereabouts or condition cannot be determined.

causation

the action of causing or producing.

celibacy

abstention from sexual relations.

celibate

a person who remains unmarried, especially for religious reasons.

central

in, at, or near the center: a central position.

-centric

a combining form with the meanings “having a center or centers” of the specified number or kind

circa (c. ca.)

about: (used especially in) approximate dates

city-state

a sovereign state consisting of an autonomous city with its dependencies.

citizen

a native or naturalized member of a state or nation who owes allegiance to its government and is entitled to its protection

civilization

an advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached.

chauvinism

biased devotion to any group, attitude, or cause.

chivalry

the sum of the ideal qualifications of a knight, including courtesy, generosity, valor, and dexterity in arms.

class struggle

Also called class conflict. Conflict between different classes in a community resulting from different social or economic positions and reflecting opposed interests.

a striking occurrence of two or more events at one time apparently by mere chance:

colony

any people or territory separated from but subject to a ruling power.

colonial

of, concerning, or pertaining to a colony or colonies: the colonial policies of France.

Columbian Exchange

a dramatically widespread exchange of animals, plants, culture, human populations (including slaves), communicable disease, and ideas between the Eastern and Westernhemispheres (Old World and New World).

communal

of, by, or belonging to the people of a community; shared or participated in by the public: communal land;

communism

a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership beingascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.

conjuncture

a combination of circumstances; a particular state of affairs.

conscript

to compel into service.

conscription

a compulsory contribution of money or service to a government during a time of war.

conservative

disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.

constitutionalism

the principles of constitutional government or adherence to them.

consumer

Economics . a person or organization that uses a commodity or service.

consumerism

the concept that an ever-expanding consumption of goods is advantageous to the economy.

conflate

to fuse into one entity; merge: to conflate dissenting voices into one protest.

context

the set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation, etc.

continent

one of the main landmasses of the globe, usually reckoned as seven in number (Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, and Antarctica).

contingency

dependence on chance or on the fulfillment of a condition; uncertainty

convention

a meeting or formal assembly, as of representatives ordelegates, for discussion of and action on particular mattersof common concern.

an association of individuals, created by law or underauthority of law, having a continuous existenceindependent of the existences of its members, and powersand liabilities distinct from those of its members.

corporate

pertaining to a united group, as of persons; having to do with a corporation

corollary

an immediate consequence, result or easily drawn conclusion.

correlation

mutual relation of two or more things, parts; similarity, interconnection

cosmopolitan

free from local, provincial, or national ideas, prejudices, orattachments; at home all over the world.

coup d’etat

a sudden and decisive action in politics, especially one resultingin a change of government illegally or by force.

-cracy

Denoting a particular form of government, rule, or influence: “democracy”

craft ( n & v)

Noun: an art, trade, or occupation requiring special skill, especially manual skill: the craft of a mason. Verb: to make or manufacture (an object, objects, product, etc.) with skill and careful attention to detail.

credit

confidence in a purchaser’s ability and intention to pay,displayed by entrusting the buyer with goods or serviceswithout immediate payment.